Improvement in flax brakes and swinglers



S. COWAN.

' Flax Brake.

Patented Sept. 29, 1863.

u. PETERS mu-Lnhugmphen Washington. ac

UNITED STATES ATENT Qrrrcn.

SAMUEL GOWVAN, OF BLOOMFIELD, IOWA.

IMPROVEMENT lN FLAX BRAKES AND SWINGLERS.

' Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 40,091, dated September 29, 1863.

which- Figure 1 represents a side view of said machine. Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal vertical section through the same. Fig. 3 represents a crossseetion through the swingler.

My invention relates to the combination of fluted rollers, aprons, and reels, all driven by the same mechanism, to pass the flax between said rollers, for the purpose of breaking and bruising the same.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will'proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A represents the frame of the machine.

B represents an endless apron, which passes over the rollers G D, and which is operated by means of pulley E on roller D.

F and G represent apair of fluted or cogged rollers, the cogs of which have square edges (1, the two rollers operating on each otherlike cogged wheels, but having sufficient play be tween the cogs to prevent'them from clogging when the flax is forced through between them. These rollers are operated by means of pulley II on roller F.

I represents an endless apron, which passes over the rollers K L, the latter being operated by pulley M. The object of this endless apron is'to carry the flax, after it has passed between the rollersF G, to the rollers N O. The latter rollers are constructed similar to the rollers F G; but their cogs are rounded and work closer against each other than the former rollers. In passing through the second pair of rollers, the fiber is bruised off or separated from the stem.

1? represents a reel, which has four or more reel-arms. This reel is set between the two pairs of rollers F and N in such a manner that the reel-bars b, which are seen-red to the ends of the reel-arms, shall press on the flax while it is conveyed on the apron I from the rollers F G to the rollers N 0, thus preventing the stems or fibers from becoming entangled while passing from one pair of rollers to the other, and causing all the stems to retain their parallel positions, as when placed on the apron B. To effect this the reel 1? must turn operates the endless apron I, and thus said apron moves with the same velocity as the reel-arms P. The swinglcr, which is attached to the brake, is constructed as follows:

T is a four-bladed revolving knife, which is turned at a high velocity by means of pulleys U and V. These knives are secured to the shaft 9 in such a manner that a small space is left between them and the board V, in which a notch, h, is cut for theinsertion of the flax which is to be operated upon.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The machine being set in proper motion, the flax is laid upon the endless apron l3, and passes between the rollers F G, which break the flax. It then passes to the apron I, and is held on said apron by means of the reel P, and passed between the rollersN O, which effectually bruise the fiber of the stem. Theflax, on passing out from the rollers N O, is then seized by the operator, the ends are entered in the notch h of the board W, Fig. 3, and the blades of the swingler act'upon it, stripping it of all trash, stems, &c., and fitting it in a few revolutions for the hackle.

By means of this machine I am enabled to break and strip and clean large quantities of flax in a very short time and with the greatest facility.

- Having thus fully described the nature of my invention, what Iclaim herein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the rollers F G N O with the endless aprons B and I and reel 1?, when the two latter move at the same speed, substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein set forth.

2. Combining with a flax-brake constructed and operating as herein described the swingler T, substantially in the manner and for the purposes set forth.

Witnesses: SAMUEL COVVAN.

JONATHAN HAYDEN, WVILLIAM W. KITTLEMAN. 

